Exercising attachment for pianos



-(No Model.) 7 Y 4 Sheets Sheet x.

J. H. SALMON EXERUISING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS. No. 547,810.

Patented 0ct.,15, 1895.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets -Sheet 4.

. J. H. SALMON. EXERGISING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

No. 547,810. PatentedOot. 15,1895.

v I UK 5 Mix? r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. SALMON, OF CAMBRIDGE, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRIGGS PIANO COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

EXERCISING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,810, dated October 15, 1895.

Application filezl March 11, 1895.

T0 ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. SALMON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Exercising Attachments for Pianos, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in an attachment adapted for application to an ordinary piano, which will enable the hammer-action of the latter to be thrown out of action, so as to render the'piano mute when it is desired to use the piano-keys for practice purposes or exercising, the said attachment being provided with click devices for the production of non-musical sounds, which may be employed when desired to mark the downward movement of the keys or the upward movement of the latter or both. of the said movements, according as may be required, and it being provided, also, with means for producing a resistance to the downward movement of the keys, which shall replace that normally produced by the hammer-action after the latter has been re moved from operative relationship with the piano-keys, the said means being so constituted as to enable the said resistance 'to be varied to permit of a graduation of touch, ranging from one extreme to the other for general practice purposes.

The invention will be described first with reference to the accompanying drawings, after which the characteristic features thereof will be particularly pointed out, and distinctly defined in the claims atv the close of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a sectional view illustrating the application of the invention to a piano, the section being in a vertical plane near one end of the piano and enough of the usual parts being shown to render clear the relations, &c., of the invention. Fig. 2 is a partial front View, with parts in vertical section, on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view corresponding in character with Fig. 1, but showing the parts in different positions. Fig.

4 is a sectional view illustrating a key, a clicklever, and certain of the adjacent parts. Fig. 5 is avlew similar in general character to Fig.

Serial No. 541,237. (No model.)

1, but showing the parts at the opposite end of the piano. Fig. 6 is a plan of certain of the parts which are represented in Fig. 5. Fig. '7 is a plan view illustrating the series of keys of a piano and the means of connecting to the piano the supporting-rail of the click devices.

1 is one of the strings of a piano. 2 is a hammer acting thereagainst. 3 is the jack by which the said hammer is actuated. 4 is the jack-bed with which said jack is con nected. 5 is arod, which is pivoted at its upper end to the said jack-bed and is pendent therefrom, and 6 is a piano-key, the rear end of which acts in connection with the rod 5 and connected parts to operate the hammer, as will be apparent. The lower end of the rod 5 is held in position over the key 6 and guided in its movements by a short link or radius-bar '7,'one end of which is joined pivotally with the lower end of the said rod, while the other end thereof is joined pivotally to the bracket 8, the latter being secured to the transverse rail 9.

10 is an adjustable projection on the pianokey 6, on which projection the lower end of the rod 5 rests normally. The said projection preferably is constituted by the head of a screw, the threaded stem of which enters the rear or inner end of the key, as shown. By turning the said screw the extent to which its head projects may be adjusted, as will be obvious.

For the purpose of rendering the piano mute, so far as the production of musical sounds is concerned, when it is desired to use the keys of the piano for exercising or practice purposes, means is provided whereby to wholly disconnect the hammerfaction from the piano-keys. This result is secured pref erably by moving the hammer-action out of range or control of the piano'key, and the preferred means is constructed as follows: 11 is a rod extending horizontally beneath the series of links or radius-bars 7. It is convenient, but not absolutely necessary, to employ a single rod extending the entire length of the series of piano-keys. The said rod is supported by arms 12, fixed to a rock-shaft 13, the latter being mounted to turn in bearings which are provided at the lower ends of the brackets 8. 14 is an arm at one end of the said rock-shaft 13. By means of the said arm the rock-shaft 13 may be turned in its bearings when it is desired to raise the rod 11, so as to bear the latter upward against the series of links or radius -bars 7, in order to press the same upwardly and thereby raise the rods 5 out of the reach of the piano-keys. Means is provided, as described hereinafter, for operating the rock-shaft 13 through the medium of the arm 14.. The foregoing devices, whereby the hammer-action is disconnected from the piano-keys when desired, are designated, for convenience, muting devices. Adjacent to the piano-keys, preferably above the rear or inner ends of the latter, a series of levers 15 is arranged. Each of the levers is pivoted to a bracket 16, the said bracket being attached to a rail 17, which extends transversely of the piano above the series of piano-keys. The rear or inner ends of the said levers are intended to be engaged by the corresponding ends of the piano-keys. Normally, however, the said levers are held out of the range of movement of the piano-keys, and they are allowed to pass into the said range and into engagement with the pianokeys only after the hammer-action has been thrown out of action, as aforesaid. With the said levers 15 is combined means to present a yielding resistance to the movement of such levers under the impact of the piano keys. Springs preferably are employed, as at 18. The springs 18 are shown connected with the forward ends of the levers, and also with fixed abutments in the shape of hooks or pins 19. The tendency of the said springs is to bear the rear ends of the levers into contact with the rear ends of the piano-keys and to resist the rise of the said ends of the levers and pianokeys when the forward or exposed ends of the piano-keys are struck and depressed. However, as above noted, normally the levers are held out of the range of movement of the pianokeys, so as to permit the piano to be played upon in usual manner without the said levers coming into action. The preferred arrangement for effecting this consists of a rod or rods 20, occupying a position above the forward ends of the levers 15. For convenience a single rod maybe employed, it extending the entire length of the series of levers. The said rod or rods are supported by arms 21 on a rockshaft 22, the said rock'shaft being mounted to turn in bearings in brackets 23, that are at tached to the rail 17. The said rock-shaft 22 has an arm 24, by means of which it is held normally, as described hereinafter, in the position shown in Fig. 1, which causes the rod or rods 20 to bear down the forward ends of the levers 15 and hold their rear ends out of the range of motion of the piano-keys. The rock-shaft may be turned around its axis through the medium of the said arm 24, so as to depress the rod or rods 20 against the forward ends of the levers 15, and thereby bear down such forward ends and hold their rear ends raised out of the 1 range of motion of the piano-keys. After the hammer-action has been moved outof the control of the piano-keys the rock-shaft may be turned partially, so as to raise the rod or rods 20 from the levers 15 and give the springs 18 an opportunity to bear the rear ends of the levers against the rear ends of the piano-keys. Before the hammer-action is placed again in operative relations with the piano-keys, or simultaneously therewith, the rock-shaft 22 should be turned so as to cause the levers to be moved out of the range of the piano-keys. It is intended that the hammer-action shall alternate with the levers 15 in being brought into operative relationship with the pianokeys. While the levers 15 are in operative relationship with the piano-keys, whenever the forward end of one of the piano-keys is struck and depressed the corresponding lever 15 is turned about its fulcrum or pivot against the resistance of the corresponding spring 18. This resistance replaces that which in the normal positions of the parts is offered by the hammer'action to the movement of the piano-key. With the object in view of enabling the resistance to the movement of the levers 15 and the piano-keys to he graduated to permit of a graduation of touch the hooks or pins 19 are made adjustable in position, whereby the tension of the springs 18 may be varied. Preferably the said hooks or pins are applied to a rod 26, which is mounted in bearings in brackets 271, that are attached to the rail 17, and the said rod is made rotatable in the said bearings, so that the springs may be stretched more or less,.and thereby may be made to present more or less resistance to the movement of the levers 15 and the piano-keys. The manner of effecting the rotation of the rod 26 will be described hereinafter.

For the purpose of producing clicks when the levers 15 are moved through the action of the piano-keys each lever is provided with an arm 151. The said levers are shown as essentially T-shaped, each being pivoted near the junction of the arms thereof. The arm 151 is arranged to extend vertically upward, and near its upper end the said arm is provided with adjustable striking or tapping projections 152 153, which preferably are made in the form of screws, which are fitted to screw-threaded holes in the said upper end of the lever. The said screws, respectively, may be made to project to different distances at the opposite sides of the said upper end by turning them in the said screw-threaded holes. At opposite sides of the upper ends of the arms 151 of the levers 15 are arranged sounding devices, here shown as consisting of hollow tubes or bars which are rectangular in cross-section. In the downward movement of a piano-key the resulting movement of the corresponding lever 15 carries the forward end of its screw 152 into contact with the sounding-bar 27. In the upward movement of the piano-key the rear end of the screw 153 of the said lever is carried into contact with the sounding-bar 28 through the action of the spring 18. The said bars 27 and 28 are mounted in a manner which enables them to be moved independently of each other into and out of the range of movement of the projections carried by the arms 151 of the levers 15, which levers may for convenience be designated click-levers. In the drawings (see more particularly Figs. 5 and 6) the sounding-bars 27 28 are shown resting on the upper surfaces 29 29 of brackets 30, that are attached to the rail 17. To the respective sounding-bars 27 and 28jare joined pivotally the parallel links 31 31, which also are joined pivotally to studs 32 32, applied to the arms of the brackets 30. Rock-shafts 33 33, suitably mounted in upright positions on the fixed framework, have arms 34 34, which are bent at their ends to enter slots 35 35 in the sounding-bars 27 28. To other arms 36 36 on the said rock-shafts 33 33 there are pivotally connected rods 37 37, extending forward to the front of the piano adjacent to one end of the series of keys. By means of these rods 37 37 the rock-shafts 33 33 may be rotated, so as to place either or both of the sounding-bars 27 and 28 in or out of the range of movement of the adjustable projections 151 152, carried by the upper ends of the click-levers. This adjustment will be effected by hand, knobs 38 or other suitable means of enabling the rods 37 to be operated being applied to the exposed ends of the rods 37 37. Since the levers and the hammer-action must alternate in entering into operative relationship with the piano-keys, it is desirable that the muting devices (by means of which the hammer-action is removed from the control of the piano-keys) and the controlling devices for the levers 15 should be combined with operating means through which simultaneously to operate the muting devices to throw the hammer-action out of operative relations with the piano-keys and operate said controlling device to render the levers 15 operative, and vice versa. A convenient arrangement, which will cause the hammer-action and the click devices to come into operative relationship with the piano-keys alternately, is shown in the drawings, in which 39 and 40 are cam-pieces attached to or forming part of a slide or bar 41. The cam-piece 39 co-operates with the arm 24 of the rock-shaft 22, and the cam 40 co-operates with the arm 14 of the rock-shaft 13. hen, the slide or bar 41 is moved to the right in Fig. 1, so as to carry it into the position in which it is represented in such figure, the raised part of the cam-piece 39 is carried under the arm 24 and operates to raise the said arm to turn the rock-shaft 22 in its bearings and depress the rod against the forward ends of the click-levers 15, thereby raising the rear ends of the said click-levers out of the range of movement of the piano-keys. The same movement of the slide or bar 41 also carries the raised portion of the cam-piece out from under the arm 14 of the rock-shaft 13, allowing the said arm and rod 11 to descend. This allows the hammer-action to come into play. For the purpose of enabling the slide or bar 41 to be moved a rod 42 is connected therewith, as by pivotally joining the inner end of the rod 42 to the cam-piece 39, the forward end of the said rod 42 extending to the front of the piano and the exposed portion thereof being provided with a knob 43 for the purpose of enabling it to be moved by hand, as required. Movement of the slide a short distance to the left in Fig. 1, from the position in which it is representedin the said figure into the position shown in Fig. 3, will carry the raised part of the cam-piece 4O under the arm 14, so as to raise the same and turn the rock-shaft 13, so as to cause the rod 11 to press upwardly against the radius-bars 7, and thereby move the hammer-action beyond the control of the piano-keys; also, the raised part of the cam-piece 39 will be carried from under the arm 24, and the spring 25 will be allowed to act to raise the rod or rods 20. This will enable the springs 18 to move the rear ends of the click-levers 15 into engagement with the piano-keys. As will be apparent, the slide or bar, with its cam-piece 39, and the spring 25 act in opposition to each other in effecting the movements of the rod or rods 20.

For the purpose of enabling the adj ustment of the tension of the springs 18 to be effected conveniently an arm 261 is affixed to one end of the rock-shaft 26 and a projection 44 is attached to the slide or bar 41. The said arm 261 and projection 44 co-operate with each other, and the projection is intended to be carried against the arm in a manner to'turn the latter during the forward movement of the slide or bar-that is, to the left in Figs. 1 and 3. The position represented in Fig. 3 is reached Without any movement having been communicated to the arm 261 and rock-shaft 26, and consequently without any change in the tension of the springs 18. Further movement of the slide or bar 41 to the left, however, will begin to move the arm and occasion rotary or angular adjustment of the rock-shaft 26, with a corresponding increase in the tension of the springs 18, and the said tension will be increased in proportion according to the extent to which the slide or bar 41 is moved to the left from the position which it occupies in Fig. 3.

45 45 (see Fig. 7) are spaces which are left at intervals between adjacent piano-keys at the rear ends of thelatter, these spaces being left in consequence of the lateral spread or divergence of the said rear ends. Thev rail 17 is supported at various pointsin its length by bolts 46 46, that are secured in the fixed framework. The spaces 45 45 are utilized for the reception of those bolts 46 46 which are applied to the intermediate portions of the length of the rail 17. Inasmuch as the springs 18 may differ more or less from one another it is requisite, in order that the best results may be secured, that means should be provided to compensate for any variations in the said springs. To this end each spring 18 is provided with a suitable means of adjusting its tension, so that the proper and desired degree of resistance may be offered to the movement of each click-lever. Preferably this means of adjustment consists of a screw 181, the threaded stem of which enters the forward end of the click-lever, as shown, the lower end of the spring being engaged with the head of the said screw. By turning the said screw, as by means of a slender screwdriver introduced through the opening at the upper end of the spiral spring 18, the desired adjustment of the screw and spring may be made.

WVhat I claim is- 1. The combination with the keys and hammer-action of a piano, of muting devices, click devices forpractice purposes, and means to throw the said click devices into and out of operative relations with the said keys,substantially as described.

2. The combination with the keys and hammer-action of a piano, of muting devices, click devices for practice purposes operated by the said keys, and means whereby simultaneously to bring the muting devices into play and render the click devices operative, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the keys and hammer-action of a piano, of click devices for practice purposes, and means for alternating the hammer-action and click devices in operative relationship with the keys, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the keys and hammer-action of a piano, of click devices adapted to be operated by the said keys, muting devices, click controlling devices, and a slide or bar to operate said muting devices and click controlling devices and thereby place the hammer-action and click devices alternately in operative relation with the keys, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the keys of apiano, of a series of click levers adapted to be operated by the said keys, a sounding device, and means to resist the movement of the said clicklevers when operated by the keys, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the keys of a piano, of a series of click levers adapted to be operated by the said keys, a sounding device, and springs acting upon said click levers to present a resistance to the movement of the click levers and keys, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the keys of a piano, of a series of click levers adapted to be operated by the said keys, a sounding device, springs acting upon said click levers to present a resistance to the movement of the click levers and keys, and means to adjust the tension of the said springs, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a series of click levers, of springs acting upon said click levers to'present a resistance to the movement of the click levers, a rod to which said springs are connected, and means to effect angular adjustment of said rod to vary the tension of the said springs, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a series of click levers, of springs acting upon said click levers to present a resistance to the movement of the click levers, a rod to which said springs are connected, a slide or bar, and means to effect angular adjustment of said rod from said slide or bar, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the keys of a piano, the hammer-action, and a muting device, of a series of click levers, a sounding device, meansto present resistance to the movement of said click levers, a slide or bar, and operative connections whereby during the first part of its movement the said slide or bar actuates the muting device and also brings the click devices into action, and in the latter part of its movement intensifies the said resistance, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the keys of a piano, the hammer-action, and a muting device, of a series of click levers, a sounding device, springs acting upon said click levers to present a resistance to the movement of the click levers and keys, a slide or bar, and operative connections whereby during the first part of its movement said slide or bar actuates the muting device and also brings the click devices into action, and then during the remainder of thesaid movement increases the tension of the springs, substantially as described.

12. The combination with the keys of a piano, ot' a series of click levers, a sounding device, and means to move said click levers out of operative relationship with the keys, substantially as described.

13. The combination with the keys of a piano, of a series of click levers, a sounding device, a rod, and means to move said rod to carry said click levers out of operative relationship with the keys, substantially as described.

14. The combination with the keys of a piano, of a series of click levers, a sounding device, a rod to move said click levers out of operative relationship with the keys, a rockshaft by which said rod is supported, and means to oscillate said shaft and thereby cause it to act upon said click levers and retract it therefrom, substantially as described.

15. The combination with the keys of a piano, of a series of click levers, a sounding device, a rod to move the click levers out of operative relationship with the keys, means to support said rod, a slide acting to carry said rod into contact with the click levers, and a spring acting in opposition to the said slide, substantially as described.

16. The combination with a piano-key, of the T-shaped click lever having one arm thereof acted against by the piano-key, a spring acting upon a second arm of said lever, adjustable projections applied to the third arm of said lever, and sounding devicesmn opposite sides of said third arm in position to be struck by the said projections, substantially as described.

17; The combination with a sounding bar, and a striking device to co-act therewith, of the parallel links supporting the sounding bar, and means for swinging the sounding bar into and out of the range of the striking device, substantially as described.

18. The combination with a sounding-bar, and a striking device to co-act therewith, of the parallel links supporting the sounding bar, a rock-shaft having an arm in operative engagement with the sounding bar, and means to turn the rock-shaft and thereby throw the sounding bar into and out of the range of the striking device, substantially as described.

19. The combination with the opposite sounding bars, and a striking device playing between the two, of parallel links supporting each of the sounding bars, two rock-shafts, each having an arm in operative engagement with one of the sounding bars, and means whereby the respective rock-shafts may be turned when desired to throw the respective sounding bars into and out of range of the striking device, substantially as described.

20. The combination with the series of keys of a piano, having spaces at intervals among the inner or rear ends thereof, of a series of click levers, a rail on which the said click levers are mounted, and supports for said rail located in said spaces, substantially as described.

21. The combination with a plurality of piano keys, and a plurality of click levers which respectively are adapted to be operated by the respective piano keys, of springs respectively acting in connection with the said click levers, and means for independently adjusting the tension of the respective springs, substantially as described.

22. Thecombination with a piano key, a click lever adapted to be operated thereby, and a spring 18, of a screw 181 entering one end of the said click lever and adjustable as described, said screw being engaged by said spring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. SALMON.

Witnesses:

OHAs. F. RANDALL, WM. A. MAOLEOD. 

